In less than three weeks, volunteer students and faculty members will build a house
from concrete rubble and “destructively test” (read demolish) it in the grassy area
between Howell Hall and the Atrium Building (J).

Conscience International has spent the past year building new homes from the rubble
created by the January 2010 earthquake that left so many Haitians homeless. The group
needs scientific data to support its belief that, not only are these houses easy and
inexpensive to build, but they also provide greatly improved safety over traditional
concrete block-built homes, in the event of another earthquake.

SPSU faculty members are being encouraged to use the Rubble-House project as a learning
opportunity for their students.

Drs. Oncul and Barham will supervise the volunteers in loading rubble into wire frame
baskets that will serve as the walls of the structure and then covering them with
concrete. The volunteers will use only simple hand tools – no power tools.

Construction, which started on Aug. 23, will wrap up around Sept. 12 if the weather
cooperates. After the structure is completed, its durability will be tested a few
days later.

For information updates and photos of the ongoing project, visit the Rubble-House web page. To view news coverage of the project, go to this WSB-TV clip.